476 ANNUAL llEPOKTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



COUNTY-AGENT WORK, 



On June 30, 1920, 1,145 counties were cooperating with the State 

 and Federal agencies in the employment of county agricultural 

 agents, while 20 more counties were covered by 10 district agents. 

 In addition there were 58 counties with funds available which were 

 temporarily without agents while awaiting the selection of a suit- 

 able candidate, making a total of 1,223 agricultural counties being 

 reached by either county or district agents. There were also 8 

 assistant county agents, 33 county-agent leaders, and G5 assistant 

 county-agent leaders, making a total of 1,319 field workers emplo.yed 

 on June 30, 1920. June 30, 1919, 1,106 counties were cooperating in 

 the employment of county agents and 105 other counties were being 

 covered by 45 district agents. While the number of agricultural 

 counties covered did not materiall}^ change during the year, the 

 growth of the work on the basis of local financial cooperation was 

 most satisfactory. 



In view of the very rapid organization of the work during the 

 war the progress of the past year was most gratifying. This is par- 

 ticularly worthy of note when considered in connection with the 

 heavy withdrawal of Federal funds with the expiration of the food 

 production act on June 30, 1919. This was made up in part by the in- 

 crease of supplementary Smith-Lever funds but in a relatively much 

 larger part by increased appropriations from States and counties 

 and by subscriptions from farmers who desired to see the work con- 

 tinued. Without the help of the farmers in securing grants from 

 county commissioners and in voluntarily coming to the support of the 

 work at this time it would have suffered a serious loss in territory 

 covered, with consequent decreased confidence in the future o'f the 

 work. Stimulated by the war emergency, county-agent work in- 

 creased 100 per cent in the short period of 14 months and gained more 

 in territory reached than it had in the preceding six years. That 

 this hastily constructed emergency line should have withstood the 

 " shock " of peace is a splendid tribute to the character of service 

 rendered by the war-time county agents and the business sense of the 

 American farmer in supporting trained, capable leadership. 



COMMUNITY PROGRAMS OF WORK. 



The widespread development of community programs of work 

 marks another great forward step in county- agent work during the 

 fiscal year 1920. Throughout the 33 Northern and Western States 

 leaders and agents have been successful in demonstrating the great 

 worth of this method of organizing extension eifort, and rural leaders 

 have helped to bring community program making to a high develop- 

 ment. As a result, communitj^ effort has been stimulated and a 

 greater community consciousness aroused, with a consequent accept- 

 ance of greater responsibilities on the part of rural leaders. 



The basis of successful effort is confidence, interest, and enthusiasm, 

 and these are best developed in a small, local, or community group 

 where frequent personal contact is possible. The coramunity 

 analysis of local programs has the advantage over county-wide pro- 

 gram making in that the people who are working together know each 

 other, while the work undertaken is more vital and the results more 



